Article 1. Judgment For Tax of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 10.2. >> Chapter 5. >> Article 1.

If any amount due under Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001), or any amount that may be collected by the Franchise Tax Board as though it were a tax, is not paid, the Franchise Tax Board may file in the Office of the County Clerk of Sacramento County, or any other county, a certificate specifying the amount due, the name and last known address of the taxpayer liable for the amount due, and the fact that the Franchise Tax Board has complied with all provisions of the law in the computation and levy of the amount due, and a request that judgment be entered against the taxpayer in the amount set forth in the certificate.

The county clerk immediately upon the filing of the certificate shall enter a judgment for the people of the State of California against the taxpayer in the amount set forth in the certificate. The county clerk may file the judgment in a loose-leaf book entitled "Personal Income Tax Judgments" or "Bank and Corporation Tax Judgments," as appropriate.

An abstract or a copy of the judgment may be recorded with the county recorder of any county. From the time of the recording, the amount set forth constitutes a lien upon all real property of the taxpayer in the county, owned by the taxpayer or afterward and before the lien expires acquired by the taxpayer. Such lien has the force, effect, and priority of a judgment lien and continues for 10 years from the date of the recording unless sooner released or otherwise discharged.

Within 10 years from the date of the recording or within 10 years from the date of the last extension of the lien in the manner provided in this section, the lien may be extended by recording in the office of the county recorder of any county an abstract or copy of the judgment. From the time of the recording the lien extends to the property in the county for 10 years unless sooner released or otherwise discharged.

Execution shall issue upon the judgment upon request of the Franchise Tax Board in the same manner as execution may issue upon other judgments, and sales shall be held under the execution as prescribed in the Code of Civil Procedure.

The Franchise Tax Board may, at any time, release all or any portion of the property subject to any lien provided for in this article from the lien or subordinate the lien to other liens if it determines that the taxes are sufficiently secured by a lien on other property of the taxpayer or that the release or subordination of the lien will not endanger or jeopardize the collection of the taxes.

The Franchise Tax Board may release any lien imposed under Section 19203 or 19204 if it finds that the liability represented by the lien, including any interest accrued thereon, is legally unenforceable.

A certificate by the Franchise Tax Board to the effect that any property has been released from a lien or that the lien has been subordinated to other liens is conclusive evidence that the property has been released or that the lien has been subordinated as provided in the certificate.

If the Franchise Tax Board records a certificate of release pursuant to Section 19206 or 19207, the cost of recording is an obligation of the taxpayer and may be collected from the taxpayer in any manner provided in this part for the collection of the tax.